Blackpool Council has earmarked £70,000 to put new sails back on Little Marton Windmill, the last original windmill in the town. The money comes from the £1.5 million Pride in Place Impact Fund secured by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, and was announced by council leader Councillor Lynn Williams at a meeting on 24 June.
The Grade‑II listed tower mill on Preston New Road has stood without its sails since May 2023, when wooden replacements fitted in the 2010s were removed. One had been damaged in high winds, and inspections found all four had rotted after water pooled on the stationary timber. Heritage specialists are designing a mechanism so the new sails can be turned every few months, preventing the decay that wrecked the previous set. Councillor Williams said specialists are working on a solution that will stop the same deterioration happening again.
The project follows two years of emergency repairs to the mill’s cap and windows, which were carried out to make the building watertight before tackling the sails. The changes were backed by the Friends of Little Marton Windmill group, whose member Shirley Matthews said the funding would make a huge difference to a community proud of the site. The current structure was rebuilt and finished in 1838 for Widow Whalley and her son John, grinding corn until the 1920s. A post mill has been recorded here since 1786.
Residents can still visit the four‑storey windmill, which retains some original machinery. It opens on the last Sunday of each month until October, with full details available on the Blackpool Council website.
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